Eye Spy.... my secret (food) shame!

Just Needs Salt picked this weeks this is and I've found it hard to think of what my true food 'shame' would be. But all things chocolate seem to make me perfectly happy, although it has to be good quality stuff these days..... well, the occasional Cadbury choc frog does get scoffed (especially when the kids are around...the scoff bit).
I'm not really ashamed of any of my food delights, but I'm sure after writing this I may well think of something and if I do.... I'll have to keep it to myself!! hahaha
Fast food chains do not get a second thought anymore and I've converted everyone around me, so eating daily desserts and treats are perfectly fine too!

So I'll leave you with my all time favourite indulgence, iced chocolates (esp. from those divine chocolate 'cafes', there's a plethora of them around Melbs these days):

This shot was taken after we went to the Royal Women's hospital for yet another check up, just before La was born. (That's my tummy.... and my finished glass of decadence)

This is.... my favourite thing from nature

It looks like a lot of things from nature.... but actually it's the diversity of what nature can do and be that is my favourite thing!
How nature can have so many looks, so many shades of colours (even if they are all greens or browns), so many shapes and patterns (if you look close enough) and so many different textures and moods.
It's no wonder I love nature! It's not very hard when you are surrounded by it. (Even if you live in a concrete jungle)
If I am ever sad or frustrated or need time out from what I'm doing, a bit of nature therapy always lifts me and refreshes any stale views I may have. Soooo lucky to have nature, she's a real gift!
Now go outside......



This weeks theme is from Cloth and Fodder who is a brilliant at sewing.... really!

This is..... what I'm surprised I like!

Well I was walking around the house this morning thinking what am I surprised I actually do like! What a weird thing to be meditating about on a Sunday morning!!
A few things came to mind immediately......
pumpkin! - I loathed it when I was younger and was made to eat at least one piece if it was on the menu - but now..... being vegetarian, I love it!
pink - never was a fan of this colour, but having little girls around has made it easy to embrace what pink represents and how being really girlie sometimes is fun!
early mornings - I've always been one who LOVES a sleep in. Since having kids, it's rather rare to get a sleep in (no matter what time you went to bed the night before!), and so instead of fighting it I now relish the mornings I get to sneak out of bed without waking the kids and enjoy the peace of just being me and doing odd tasks without being interrupted! Of course this could also be because I'm getting older and I've noticed that's what older people do...........
wood bugs (Slaters, butchy boys) - this is a weird one. I grew up detesting these little creatures that roll up in a ball when they get scared, as they were everywhere and like all insects and pests, seemed rather ugly when I was a young teenage girl. BUT lately they have re-surfaced at our place, in the back yard on the concrete and I have been teaching the girls to embrace all creatures (even the annoying or scary ones) and to observe them doing what they do and to leave them be (rather than killing them or crying for fear of being eaten by them!). So we have been looking at the wood bugs and some times try to get them to roll in a ball..... one of the girls calls them her friends. Yay!
Last one.....
berries! Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries..... never liked them very much at all. Especially hated the artificial strawberry milkshakes or ice cream. Yuck!!!! Until about 2 1/2 years ago.....
when I was pregnant with my last bub - I developed a taste for the berries and now love them!
(Still hate the artificial stuff.....) I like them fresh, will eat them just like that. I like them in cakes and desserts, in smoothies...... I find it rather odd really, that pregnancy can change your taste buds (maybe not that odd seeings it changes so much of you anyway!).

So to pay homage to something I was surprised I liked - here is a fantastic recipe that I tried the other day (with amazing results, as I've never tried making a pav. before in my life!)
Oh, and I added sliced strawberries on top as well...... enjoy!

Recipe taken from "Vegetarian Supercook" by the amazing Rose Elliot. (Truly a must have cook book for anyone who wants to experience food!)

'This is' theme from earl and cookie, nice one!
Three buttons will tell you all you need to know about playing 'this is'.

This is.... my favourite kitchen tool

It's an onion chopper!
I've had this one for about 5 years now and it gets used almost everyday.
I hate chopping up onions, as they always make me cry and are a bit tedious.... so this little guy has saved me much grief in the kitchen!
As well as onions, I've used it to chop up garlic, nuts, vegies (great for kids meals!) and chocolate.
At one stage I was considering selling Choppers at bpab as they're so good to cut up vegies really quickly and in small pieces too! Maybe I still will, we'll see......

Anyway, this one is on it's way out and soon I'll have to buy the latest model! What a treat!

Thanks to Handmaiden for this weeks' theme.

This is.... what I want to be when I grow up

I found a booklet in my baby photos that I did when I was 5 (in prep).
This page reminds me how I lost my dream, somewhere along the way, of what I wanted to be when I grow up!

But seeings I haven't grown up yet, I think I'll try getting back on track and implement a plan of attack!
(Yes, I did eventually buy a pram!)

Thanks to bugandpop for this weeks theme.

This is.... my absolute favourite band(s) of all time!

Better late than never....

I've picked 3 bands that left a dent from my teenage years (eeekkkk!)
(in no particular order...)

#1: The Angels

This obsession with Doc Neeson and The Angels started when the boy I had a crush on back then introduced me to lots of Aussie Rock bands! Lots of playing and singing followed, many taped cassettes were exchanged.... nothing else I'm afraid....

#2: Def Leppard

Actually bought a few of their cassettes (easier to lug around everywhere than vinyl!) Although I think we had this particular album on vinyl. Yes, my parents were fans too! In fact the three of us saw Def Leppard in 'the round' when they played Melbourne..... (I was embarrassed and proud at the same time of this experience - so was both teased and secretly awed at school!)
A t-shirt souvenir was called for!

#3: Transvision Vamp

One I am not cringing about and would like to track down some of their tunes now I've thought about them! Fond memories were shared with my best friend (at the time).... we loved Wendy James and all she stood for, we had nick names taken from one of their songs (I was Marty, she was Lenny), writing letters and graffiti from lyrics and band name everywhere. The Vamp was a love affair and helped us express ourselves at a time in our lives when we needed direction, but didn't want to be told.....

Thanks to Ms Curlypops for last weeks This Is.
Check out all about This Is and how you can play too.

Soon I will do the bands I love now!!!!

This is... how I like to spend my weekend

Weekends for me is a time to do something different to what I've been doing all week!
Saturdays are usually a bit mixed up as Mr bpab is working during the morning. When the school holidays are happening, he doesn't work on Sat. so we always visit St Andrew's market.
Gives us our hippie back-to-our-roots balance, from being in the suburbs too long. Chai tea and lazing around on cushions does the trick.

Sundays are family day. We try to get outside and play with the kids, take them somewhere that blows their mind.... or at least expands it in some way!
Here are some oldish shots of us (being a family!) at Collingwood Children's farm.
Good value for all.

Gardening, markets, watching movies in the evenings, catching up with friends.... lately we've been playing scrabble and doing some renovating! So no strict rules to my weekends, except to spend it with my family.

Thanks to Bird Bath for this week's theme.
Wanna join in? This Is explained.....

This is.... a work(s) in progress

(Doing mine now as I won't be around tomorrow to do it!)
I have a few works in progress.... it is how I work.... and I have no idea when they will finish themselves! Anyway, here are the beanies half done....

They're made out of old knitted jumpers and cardigans. They're all sewn up, just waiting for inspirational embellishments. Possibly next Winter.... unless someone sees one they MUST have!

These two have pockets on them. (Pockets are from the original jumper, I just cut around them.) They are waiting for their over locked hems..... where IS that over locker?!

Look what I found! It's going to be a cushion cover. Using different types of wool in a range of reds (when ever the half used balls of wool run out is when I change textures..... or I'd be knitting air wouldn't I? Or would I? Must try that next time.....). My plan is to do an orange one and a pink one too. That will probably take another couple of Winters!

Thanks to kept in a jar for this week's theme - you too can join THIS IS on Angela's Three Buttons blog!

This is.... my letterbox!

My first This Is!


We love our new letterbox! Waiting for that red flag to pop up is something special around our home.....
Recently someone thought it would be fun to kick our letterbox off it's steel pole! We didn't catch them in the act, but they left a shoe print on it.
Well it bounced right back and looks as good as ever!
Unlike our last letterbox.....



'Old woody' was a goodie, but obvious it refused one too many junk mail catalogues and was punished for it's effort. May it rest in peace..........

Thanks to Angela for our 'do what you want' theme this week - you too can join THIS IS on Angela's Three Buttons blog!